


The Scoundrel and the Scholar

by royaltimelady



Category: Original Work, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types
Genre: Coruscant, F/M, Gen, Gray Jedi, Jedi Temple, Mos Eisley, Naboo - Freeform, Planet Coruscant, Planet Naboo (Star Wars), Planet Tatooine, Tatooine, Tatooine Slave Culture, lothar - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-12 02:03:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11727210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/royaltimelady/pseuds/royaltimelady
Summary: Jax-om Aru has seen enough of the rough city of Mos Eisley. He and his two sidekicks, Lou and Tchkita, decide to make their way to Coruscant to find a new criminal ring to join, while also answering some questions about Jax-om's destiny with the Force.Neela Batuko just lost her former Jedi Master Vab Jarruta to an untimely death in their hidden swamp village on Naboo. She says goodbye to her parents and makes her way to Coruscant to explore the ruins of the great Jedi Temple and continue her studies.Will these two unlikely friends find a way to help each other? Is their destiny with the Force intertwined?





	The Scoundrel and the Scholar

**Mos Eisley, Tatooine**

**Jax-om**

Jax looked up at Lou. One of Lou's giant eyes swiveled back toward him, and the corner of one mouth turned up to a smirk. The city of Mos Eisley bustled all around them, yet in this secluded alleyway, the shadows seemed to block out the noise and dual sunshine. Jax kept one eye on the entrance to the alley, and one on Lou's giant head. He sometimes wondered to himself how he got stuck with a Ithorian sidekick who doesn't speak Basic, but he couldn't let himself get distracted. They had a plan, and he had to remain focused.

A man approached them, making his way down the alley with a shadowy presence that made the hairs on the back of Jax's neck stand up on edge. The man gave a scowl and crossed his arms.

"What's the big idea, Jax?" he grumbled, "It was supposed to be just us. What's the Ithorian doing here?"

Lou began to speak in Ithorese, tirading with such fluency that the man became entranced with the dual mouths working their magic. Though neither Jax nor the man spoke the language, Lou's frustration was apparent.

"Okay, okay. Fine. Look Jax, I know what you're after, but it's just not possible. Nobody goes in or out of Coruscant. Not anymore," the man explained.

Jax smirked and took a step closer. "Of course. No respectable pilot would dare get that close to the lion's den. It's an Imperial nightmare over there."

"Exactly," the man sighed, "I'm glad you see reason."

"But I'm not a respectable pilot, am I?"

The man froze. "You're not taking my ship." He pulled out a blaster and pointed it at the duo.

Jax laughed, "I would never! I just need to...borrow it, that's all."

From the roofs above them, a Jawa fell, screaming maniacally, and landed squarely on the man's shoulders. It put the man in a choke hold, squeezing tightly. A stray blaster shot hit the roof, then a wall, until finally the blaster hit the floor. The blaster was swept up by Lou as Jax began to dig in the pockets of their victim.

The man gasped for air. "Don't...you...dare."

Jax pulled out the codes for a ship, a few hundred credits, and a holographic photo of a scantily dressed Twi'lek.

"Ooh, thanks. That will come in handy later."

Lou spoke briefly and softly in Ithorese and gave Jax a nudge, causing him to look back at the entrance to the alley. A stormtrooper passed by, but luckily did not see the scuffle. 

Jax looked up at the Jawa. "Tchkita, we need to go. Come on!"

Tchkita jumped down. The man collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily. Jax and Lou began to make their escape. Before following them, Tchkita briefly removed her hood to reveal her hideous form underneath. The man's face became pasty white, and he fainted. Tchkita pulled her hood back up, and followed Jax and Lou while giggling loudly.

Through the busy streets of Mos Eisley, the trio ducked and dodged and raced toward the hangars. On more than one occasion, they were spotted by stormtroopers, who did not give these three suspicious characters a second thought. In such a town, the sight of an Ithorian, a Jawa, and a scoundrel of a pilot rushing through the marketplace was not any reason to be alarmed.

The trio arrived at a hangar, inside which a worn Clone Wars issue BTL-B Y-wing stood proudly. Its paint, which had previously shone gold and white, was now sickly gray.

"Okay Lou, you take gunner," Jax explained as he grabbed Tchkita and lifted her into the cockpit. He heard whirring and grinding sounds as Tchkita created a small seat for herself nestled just below where an astromech would normally be. She installed a small monitor, and with a few swift clicks, the engine of the Y-wing roared to life.

Lou climbed up, then reached one arm down to pull Jax into the pilot's seat. He looked down and behind him to find Tchikita's beady eyes staring back at him, giving a thumbs up. Lou flipped some switches and shared a similar gesture of preparedness. Jax pulled his googles down from his tangled jet black hair and secured them around his subtly purple eyes. He smiled, and gave a heavy exhale of relief as their newly acquired ship soared into the sky.

\---

**Just Outside of Lors, Naboo**

**Neela Batuko**

An eerie fog drifted in from the swamp, and Neela shuddered. She looked up, and suddenly realized that it had been hours since she began reading that morning. The sun set softly in the distance, so she tucked her books and holocrons away into a waterproof bag. Neela reached back to feel the metal blade strapped to her back, ensuring it was safely secured. She stood atop the rock she had been so peacefully reading on, then dove elegantly into the waters below her. Her many tentacles waved around her, pushing her forward through the water at an incredible speed. As she swam, she saw a familiar face.

"Gugar?" she sighed, speaking clearly through the water, "what are you doing?"

Her Gungan friend looked up. "Mesa doen notten!" he replied with his hand so obviously reaching into a hole in the rocks near the bottom of the water.

"Really? Because it looks like you're trying to lure a baby Opee sea killer out from its home."

Gugar gaped. "No! Isa gooberfish! Meesa goen dafee meesa family."

Neela smirked. "Well, hate to burst your bubble Gugar, but Gooberfish do not have tentacles on their heads. Or sharp teeth."

Just as Neela finished speaking, Gugar let out a cry. He pulled his hand out to reveal a large bite in his arm. Though not bleeding much, it caused Gugar to begin sobbing loudly. The baby Opee sea killer swam out of hole and taunted Gugar before swimming away.

"Come on," she sighed, "I'll patch you up."

The two swam toward the surface quickly, making their way toward a soft surface light.

They exited the water and shook off the excess moisture. A small swampland hut stood in front of them; the smell of cooking fish luring them inside. Neela held back the flap of the front door for Gugar and the two entered.

“Master?” Neela called out. She ducked her head around the corner into the other room.

Neela's teacher, Vab Jarruta, laid weakly on the floor, bottle of liquor still in his hand. He groaned and reached up toward her.

"Master!" Neela exclaimed. She knelt by his side on the floor and held his head in her lap. He coughed and looked up.

"My time has come," he said with a sigh.

She started to shake. "But what do I do now? I'll never be able to complete my training."

He hiccuped, then grumbled, "It’s for the best. Every day, the Empire comes closer and closer to hunting down the last of the Jedi. It’s only a matter of time before they find and kill you too."

Neela shook him, frustrated. "I had a vision, the light side will fight back and the Jedi will return!"

He laughed, "I never liked those bastards anyway. To Hell with them."

Neela gawked, and watched in horror as her master died in her arms. She trembled, then stood with a newfound resilience. Gugar stared at her, then sat quietly on the floor near her fallen master.

"How wude. What yousa tinken now?"

"I think I'm going to train myself to be a Jedi. He never really wanted me to learn the ways of the Force. He only cared about torturing me with his nonsense and his drinking."

Gugar shook his head, "Oie boie, mesa tinken dases berry nutsen."

"Well it's a good thing you're not coming, Gugar," she said. Gugar looked up at her, saddened. “Sorry,” she corrected, “I only mean that it’ll be too dangerous for you where I’m going.” He sighed and hung his head low, but nodded in comprehension.

Neela began to rummage through Vab's belongings, collecting as many books and holocrons as she could fit into her bag. She dug through a chest, finding and holstering a blaster rifle. As she made her way toward the door, she looked back at Vab. She noticed the large pouch on his holster that had remained untouched the entire time she had known him. She opened it to reveal his lightsaber.

She activated it, causing Gugar to yelp in fear and fall backward.

“Daysa machineek esa berry danger,” Gugar trembled. “Carabullu, Neela.”

The saber glowed a brilliant yellow color. She did not understand what it meant, for all she had learned from her years of training was that the Force worked in mysterious ways. The light reflected brightly in her pitch black eyes and she sighed.

“This is my destiny, Gugar. This lightsaber…it will be my guide.”

She watched the way the light flickered and shined on her wet, grey skin. Neela admired its glow for one final moment before deactivating it and nestling it deep into her bag. She stormed from the hut and dove swiftly into the water.


End file.
